Fruit picker



Jan. 14, 1930. w. w. TANTLINGER FRUIT PICKER 5 Sheecs-Shee'cl 1 .Filed Sept. 22, 1928 Inventor PI/alier Wjrulz'zzjer Bf @um ttorney Jan. 'l4,l930.` w. w. TANTLINGER FRUIT PICKER l Filedl Sept. '22, 192B 5 Sheets-Sheet 2' Inventor Wafer Wwfzmj e Jan. 14, 1930. w, w. TANTLINGER 1,743,580

FRUIT PICKER Filed Sept- 22, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet.- 5

1 Inventar mwa amm. Fifa/Zier W/'nilz'ner QAM wh tzormy Patented Jan. 14, 1930 UNITED STATES TNT FRUIT PICKER Application filed September 22, 1928. Serial No. 307,624.

This invention relates to an improved fruit picker, that is amechanical contrivance or device for gathering fruit from trees, and it is characterized .by certain safe andv sound features, in thatitprovides for safety in picliing,.for the operator, and permits the fruit to be gathered .in a sound or firm condition.

The invention has more particular reference to that class of fruit gatherers or pick- 4ers characterized. by a relatively long staff -orpole, having fruit stem severing means at Vits topand carrying an elongated sack cooperating with the severing means and serving to provide a conduit for deliver-ing the fruit in a sound-condition to a collection receptacle or sack therebenea'th.

The invent-ion kis therefore especially usev fuland adapted for picking fruit from large and small trees, and especially for instance, avocados.

.Obviously, theprincipalobjectof the invention is to avoid climbing vup on high ladders,and yet enabling the operator to pick the fruit with thesame care and accuracy and with muchmore ease and safety to himself than bythe hand process. Also protecting trees from being broken by weight of ladder and man.

vThere are Anumerous mechanical improvements in this arrangement, which providefor features to be especially detailed las the vdescription proceeds.

In thedrawings: Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a fruit picker or gatherer `device constructed in accordance with the present invention, showing the upper sections thereof.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view of the upper portion of the structure showing the manner in which the mouth of the elongated sack-like conduitis raised up and underneath the fruitv severing means. Y

Figure 3 is a viewshowing the construction of the device, for raising and loweringv themouth of the sack.

Figure 4 is a view like Figure 1, showing an attaching device for the lower portion of the structure for increasing the length -of the complete device.

Figure 5 is a view in section and elevation, detailing construction of the operating means for the fruit stem severing knives.

Figure 6 Vis an enlarged cross sectional view through this structure taken ap roXimately on the plane of the line 6-6 o Figure 5.

Figure 7 is an elevational viewv ofk one of the parts of the operating device just referred to.

f e Figure 8 is a similar view of a complefruit passes downwardly. The lower end of this extends below a screw threaded connection 13 on the lower end of the pole section 11 where it is provided with rings 14, to permit clips 15 on an extension or lower section 16 of the conduit to be connected theretoas shown in Figure 4. Also as shown in the last figure, the lower extension section 17 of the handle is connected tov the upper section 11. This permits the device t0 be adjustedv to the desired depth or height as the case may be. Obviously, additional sections may be included in practice if conditions require it.

Fastened to the upper end of the handle section 11, we find a pair of metalv straps or strips 18 disposed in spacedV parallelism.

VPivotally mounted on `these strips 18 as shown in Figure 3 is an operating-device 19V for the mouth or upper end of the sack like chute. K Y

This device comprises a ring lileelement. with which the sack is-connected, andarms 21 pivotally connectedat 22, with the strip, eX- tending beyond the strip and carrying a small bolt 23, with whiclian operatingchain 9A is connected. A. spring 25 is provided here for` normally maintaining the device in the position shownl in Figure l. The chain, which Vthe position shown in Figure 1.

Vcords embrace the vsacks in an alternating fashion, in order to compress the sacks to divide it into sections.

The purpose of this arrangement is to allow the fruit to drop down through the chute, in

a sort of step-by-step manner. Thus, we have conduit contracting elements for dividing the conduit into sections to insure proper descent of the fruit toprevent damage and to insure that the fruit will remain sound and that one article of fruit will not drop downl on the other `or bruise it. This is a highly important feature of the invention.

Attention is now invited more particularly to the fruit stem cutting or .severing l means and the operating means thereof. This 5 and 10 inclusive.

Vures and particularly to Figure 5, at this structure is detailed particularly in Figures Referring to these fig- Y time, it will be seen that 35 designates an outer Vopen ended cylinder, which is rigidly fastened between the strips 18. This is provided with a vertical outstanding keyway or guide 36, which slidably accommodates a key 37, on a longitudinally slidable sleeve 38, fit- Vthe pull cable 26 is connected.

ting within the cylinder. This sleeve has a bolt 39 fastened to its lower end with which within the sleeve 38 Vis an inner rotary sleeve 40, having diametrically opposite elongated Vslots 41, having offset portions 42 and 43 at their opposite ends as shown in detail in Figure 7 The upper end 44 of this sleeveis enlarged to provide a shoulder which rests A Vrotatably upon the stationary cylinder.

These slots may be generally designated as cam slots. Extending through the cam slots are rollers 45, carried by the slidable sleeve 38. A spring 461is attached to these and to a c losing cap 47 on the upper end of the'inner cylinder.

It will be noted that the enlarged portion 44of the rotary sleeve carries the longitudinally curved relatively movable cutting blade 48, which cooperates with a complemental blade 49 on the stationary cylinder 35. N

Thereis a peculiarly intermittent or step by step operation of the cutting blade, insured with this arrangement. For example,

' the cam rollers on the longitudinally slidable sleeve 38 are normally stationed in the upper A coil spring 28 is con-' Disposed offset ends 42 of the cam slot. Hence whenv the cable 26 is pulled down through the medium of proper manipulation of the lever 27, a partial rotation is imparted to the rotary inner sleeve 38. This brings the point of the movable blade 48 into engagement with the corresponding point 49 of the stationary blade. It does not, however, bring the blades into relation for stem severing. The succeeding movement of the cable v26 'does not produce an immediate rotation of the sleeve 40. However, the sleeve remains substantially stationary at this time, whilethe sleeve 38 is travelling downwardly. During this intermediate downward travel of the sleeve 38,

vthe aforesaid chain 24, which isnormally slack, is rendered taut. Then a pullis eX- -erted upon the operating devicev 19 for the mouth of the sack and the sack is raised up from the lower position shown in Figure-1, tothe raised position shown in Figure 2. As the cable continues to move downwardly and the cam rollers move into the laterally offset lower end portion 43 of the cam slot, the inal rotation is imparted to the inner rotary sleeve, tlius'bringing the knives 48and 49 into stem severing position. then cut and allowed to drop downinto the upper portion of the sack. At this time, the

Vcord 33 is tightened around the sack, whereas the cord 34 is loose.V When, however, the parts are allowed to resume their normal position for the neXt cutting operation, the cord 33 releases the fruit pocketed in the upperportion of the conduit and allows it to drop` down into the second conduit portion. In this manner, the fruit is allowed to pass downwardly through the conduit in a step by step manner to prevent bruising. Obviously, the construction of parts is such as' tov` bring about the proper timed action desirable in intermittent operation.

From the foregoing description and drawings it. will be seen that the gist ofv my invention is based upon the novel structural Y.

arrangement, whereby the lateral cutting vknives are actuated in a step by step manner through the movement of the relatively movable cylindrical parts of the operating device, anti-friction cam rollers and peculiarly constructed cam slots.

Thus the knives are held stationary around the stem of the fruit (without severing it) so that the fruit cannot escape. VDuring this time the position of the device may be adjusted to dispose the mouth of the sack so that it may be raised around the fruit without in- The fruit is.

lll() llO terference from limbs or props. This suc- Y Y cessive arrangement together with the means f for alternately closing portions of the Iconduit sack, insures the production of a device, which will well serve the purposes for which'it is inwell servetheV purposes for which it is intended in an eiiicient and dependable inanner.

It is thought, however, that by considering the description in connection with the drawings, a clear understanding of the construction, operation, and features of the invention will be had. Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded unnecessary.

Minor changes in the shape, size and rearrangement of parts may be resorted to, in actual practice, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a fruit picker of the class described, in combination, an elongated handle, a sack like fruit delivery conduit mounted on said handle, fruit stem severing means mounted on the upper end of the handle above the intake mouth of said conduit, said severing means embodying a relatively stationary knife and a relatively movable knife, the mouth of said sack being normally disposed in a position spaced downwardly from said knives to render the knives clearly visible, and means for o-perating said knives in an intermittent manner and for moving the mouth of said 'conduit into close proximity beneath the knives, when the knives are in a predetermined relationshi 21.D In a fruit picker of the class described, a handle, a sack like fruit delivery conduit mounted on said handle, a raising and lowering device pivoted on the handle and connected with the intake mouth of said conduit, fruit severing knives pivoted on the handle above the intake mouth of the conduit, one knife being stationary and the other knife relatively movable, actuating means for producing an intermittent operation of said knives, an operating lever pivoted on the handle within convenient reach of the operator of the device, a pull wire connected with said lever and with said operating means, and a normally slack chain connected with said operating means and' with the pivotally mounted raising and lowering device.

3. In a fruit picker of the class described, a handle, a sack like fruit delivery conduit mounted on said handle, a raising and lowering device pivoted on the handle and connected with the intake mouth o-f said conduit, fruit severing knives pivoted on the handle above the intake mouth of the conduit, one knife being stationary and the other knife relatively movable, actuating means for producing an intermittent operation of said knives, an operating lever pivoted on the handle within convenient reach of the operator of the device, a pull Wire connected with said lever and with said operating means, and a normally slack chain connected with said operating means and with the pivotally mounted raising and lowering device, together with conduit embracing means for contracting the conduit, said embracing ing device pivotally mounted on the handle and connected with the intake mouth of said conduit, fruit stem severing means on the upper end of the handle embodying right angularly disposed knives and intermittent operating means therefor, said knives including a stationary knife and a relatively movable knife, the movable knife being movable toward the stationary knife in a step by step manner, and a pivotally mounted spring return actuating lever on the handle within convenient reach of the operator, a pull wire connected with said lever and connected at its upper end with the actuating device for the severing knives, a normally slack chain connected with said means and with said pivotally mounted raising and lowering device, eye bolts mounted on said handle at longitudinally spaced points, conduit embracing points cords passing through said eye bolt and connected with said pull wire, said cord being arranged for alternately contracting said conduit and dividing it into longitudinally spaced trapping portions.

5. In a fruit picking device of the class described, a handle, a pair of spaced parallel strips rigidly mounted on the upper end of the handle, an intermittent cam actuating device mounted between the upper end of said strip, successively operable laterally disposed severing knives mounted upon said actuating device, an open ended sack like fruit delivery conduit mounted on the handle, and a raising and lowering device connected with the mouth of the sack and pivotally mounted on said strips.

6. In a fruit picking device of the class described, a handle, a stationary open ended cylinder mounted on the upper end of the handle and provided with a keyway, a slidable sleeve in said cylinder having a key sliding in said keyway, cams riding in said rollers carried by said slidable sleeve, manual operating means for said sleeves mounted on said handle, an inner cam slot sleeve disposed `within said slidable sleeve and rotatable with respect thereto and cooperable with said rollers, a relatively movable knife carried by the inner rotary sleeve, and a relatively stationary knife carried by said cylinder.

In testimony whereof I atx my signature..

VALTER W. TANTLINGER. 

